1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to gas turbine engines, and more particularly to rotors for gas turbine engines.
2. Description of Related Art
Gas turbine engines commonly include a rotor portion circumferentially surrounded by a stator portion. The rotor and stator portions can be arranged in stages and each stage can have circumferential arrays of rotor blades and stator blades sharing common axial positions. The stator blades generally extend radially inward from the stator portion and are fixed in relation to the rotor. The rotor blades generally extend radially outward from the rotor portion and are rotatable in relation to the stator blades. Airfoils of the stator blades direct air entering the stage into the rotor blades while rotation of the rotor portion rotates the rotor blades, increasing the pressure and temperature of air traversing the rotor stage.
Some gas turbine engines have rotors constructed with discrete rotor and rotor spacer structures. Axially adjacent rotor structures are separated by an intervening rotor spacer such that abutting axial faces of the rotor and rotor spaces contact one another. Axial ties such as bolts or tie rods typically urge the rotor and rotor spacers together, thereby limiting fluid leakage from the rotor exterior to the rotor interior. This prevents relatively high-pressure gases traversing the rotor exterior from infiltrating interior cavities of the rotor with lower pressures.
Such conventional methods and systems have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is still a need in the art for improved rotors that allow for improved engine efficiency. The present disclosure provides a solution for this need.